Britney Spears, Cher and Keith Richards: NYC condo that housed music royalty lists for $10 million

A New York penthouse with a serious music megastar past has hit the market for $9.8 million (US$6.995m), meaning one lucky new owner will be living in the four-level condo that Britney Spears, Cher, Keith Richards and Russell Simmons called home. If these walls could talk.

Britney Spears owned the abode for four years in the 2000s, including the year she wrote Grammy award-winning ‘Toxic’. She originally purchased the penthouse in 2002 for $4.2 million (US$3m) under the LLC ‘One More Time,’ according to NY Post.

It was Spears who created the grand four-level residence, purchasing two apartments in NoHo Historic district’s coveted Silk Building to create the one impressive home for sale today.

The area surrounding the Silk Building became mecca for music lovers thanks to the entire retail level being leased to Tower Records in 1983. A destination in its own right, the legendary space attracted rock stars and celebrities.

However, before Britney consolidated the two spaces, one of the unit’s first residential owners was none other than icon Cher. She snapped up the home in the 1980s and during her time living there, turned an old greenhouse into a gym with an outdoor shower, the Post reports.

Keith Richards also owned two floors in the ’80s, one a complete recording studio. He lived a secluded life and rarely left the building until late at night to avoid fans.

It then changed hands to another music heavyweight. In 1990, Cher sold the pad to co-founder of the legendary hip-hop label Def Jam Recordings, Russell Simmons, for $2.2 million (US$1.6m).

According to a Guardian profile at the time, Simmons never changed a thing in the home, including its faux leopard-skin upholstery. After living there for six years, Simmons took a loss when offloading the home, selling it for $2.1 million (US$1.52m) in 1996.

The sprawling 352sqm penthouse includes four bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms across its levels, with gorgeous NYC views.

“A rarely found quad-plex penthouse, let alone found in a 24h doorman building, is freshly new to market in the enviable Silk Building. It is no wonder that major celebrities have chosen this apartment as their historic home, and it is now ready for its lucky new owner,” reads the listing.

Entry is via an elevator to any of the four levels. The main floor on the 12th storey is open plan with soaring 12-foot ceilings and an “enormous” living/dining room complete with wood-burning fireplace,

The chef’s kitchen with large island and ample countertop space comes with Sub Zero, Kitchenaid and Viking appliances.

Up on the top level you’ll find the den and large outdoor terrace that takes in views of the Empire State Building. Off this, there is a bathroom with space for either a game room, TV area, or another bedroom.

The lower two levels comprise the bedrooms, all with custom closets. The two ensuite bedrooms on the lowest level have had the bathrooms fully renovated within the last year.

The sprawling master suite has a wood burning fireplace, huge closet and even a wet bar. Its ensuite is clad in Italian marble and tasos flooring, with Kohler fixtures.

The Silk building was the original boasts white glove, luxury service, including professional 24-hour doormen. Located on 4th Street between Lafayette and Broadway, it’s in the centre of all Greenwich Village has to offer.

For the full listing, click here.